


To Their Own Way

by Inte1eon



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fate & Destiny, Gen, Other, Screw Destiny, Telepathy, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25186648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inte1eon/pseuds/Inte1eon
Summary: Or "The Case for Serena's Freedom to be Shipped with Others."
Relationships: Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Serena
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	To Their Own Way

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing except this idea.

It had been years since Arceus saw the deviation in their plans for shaping the universes. Due to Serena going to Sinnoh as a child, she and Ash never encountered one another in Kanto. The nail got driven enough to put Ash on the path to being a Pokémon Master. With Serena going her own way, the Alpha Pokémon witnessed her time in Alola for a much-needed vacation.

They were interrupted when the Time Travel Pokémon flew into the chamber on small wings. Celebi had also witnessed the change in this universe and, being the playful time traveler that they were, remained curious about it. Arceus asked for Celebi and Dialga not to intervene with the event, for they felt that the deviance had some beneficial results.

"A moment if I may, Lord Arceus," Celebi began formally.

The Alpha Pokémon turned to Celebi, towering over the tiny Psychic and Grass-type in terms of height. Celebi released a breath. In this space isolated from the universes, Celebi received full speech capabilities.

 _"Is something wrong?"_ Arceus asked.

Although Arceus was fully capable of speech in this realm, they preferred telepathy. The quirk seemed to make them more divine in the eyes of others.

"My question has been on my mind since your order came through years ago," Celebi explained. "Why did you keep the deviance in your order for the Royalverse?"

 _"Deviance as in...?"_ Arceus questioned.

"Why did Ash not encounter Serena when they were children?" the Time Travel Pokémon asked them.

For that question, Arceus paused for thought. They are considered the Alpha Pokémon, after all. They can dictate that Ash and Serena did encounter one another as kids and erase the deviance.

Then again, the benefits of this change of fate did outweigh the negatives. So, with their eyes on Celebi, they made their tone firm.

 _"Serena's encounter with Ash only lasted for a few minutes in the normal universe,"_ Arceus reasoned. " _As such, they are not childhood friends."_

"Wouldn't it be romantic if they were, though?" Celebi questioned, baby blue eyes shining with delight.

 _"You were always the Mythical who loved the concept of romance,"_ Arceus noted. " _It would be, yet there are other people that they encounter that are just as important to them. Families, friends, rivals, and even enemies play a role in influencing others."_

The light in Celebi's eyes died down somewhat, now paying full attention to their explanation.

 _"Also, who they choose is not always set in stone,"_ the Alpha Pokémon added. " _The event that I witnessed in the original universe may not be as important to Ash as it is to Serena. He may friendzone her when they reunite next."_

Celebi lamented the day that would happen if it came to pass. Another question came to their mind, however.

"If Ash and Serena aren't childhood friends in the universe you are watching over, who _is_ Serena's childhood friend?"

Arceus let out an amused chuckle, a rare occurrence of them not using telepathy.

_"Calem, of course."_

Celebi gasped in response.

_"I have witnessed scenarios where Calem does not receive a happy ending. I believed that it would be best if he did. Hence why I had them meet and befriend one another."_

"You said once that there are those who can influence others," the Time Travel Pokémon began. "I wonder who else has influenced Ash and Serena."

 _"For Ash, it is his family, his rivals, Misty, Brock, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Lillie, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, and Sophocles. I also cannot forget Clemont and Bonnie despite the change in his childhood,"_ Arceus listed. " _As for Serena, it is her family, Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, Aria, Miette, Nini, and Shauna who influence her the most."_

"Perhaps I should jump ahead of time and see what becomes of Serena due to the change," Celebi mused out loud.

 _"Or perhaps patience is a virtue,"_ Arceus advised.

Celebi sighed in response. They hated to admit it, but the Alpha Pokémon had a point about jumping too far forward in time due to eagerness.

 _"Either way, the change in their childhood is beneficial,"_ Arceus noted. " _Ash is more careful despite his Aura being mostly dormant. Serena is not as focused on Ash as she would have been if they met."_

Celebi sighed in response. They hoped for romance to occur between them, but it didn't happen. After being assigned to track down Ash in Kukui's past by Arceus, they flew off to the real world.

Perhaps in one universe, there would be a romantic connection between Ash and Serena. For now, Arceus was fine keeping things as they were.


End file.
